Lot 13
East Asia, China, Qing Dynasty, ca. 19th century CE. A wonderful Blanc de Chine porcelain figure of the bodhisattva Samantabhadra, known in Chinese as Puxian, seated atop an elephant in half lotus position with one foot on a lotus flower. The deity is finely modelled with a rounded face, the hair upswept into a double topknot, fastened with an diadem suspending beaded jewels, above eyes downcast in gentle contemplation, the right arm supporting a ruyi, left hand in vitarka mudra, the gesture of bestowment, wearing a flowing garment exposing jewelry chains adorning the bare chest. Puxian forms part of the Shakyamuni Triad, along with Manjusri and Gautama Buddha. Some believe his sacred mount is the same elephant that appeared to Queen Maya, the mother of the Buddha, to herald his birth. Size: 5.8" L x 9.5" W x 12.4" H (14.7 cm x 24.1 cm x 31.5 cm)
"Blanc de Chine" porcelain, sometimes spelled "Blanc d'Chin," refers to a type of Chinese white porcelain made in the Dehua kilns of Fujian province in China. This porcelain is characterized by its pure white color and translucent quality, achieved through the use of a fine-grained clay known as kaolin. Blanc de Chine porcelain has been produced since the Ming dynasty and is known for its elegant and delicate forms, often featuring Buddhist and Taoist motifs. It became highly prized both in China and in export markets, particularly in Europe, where it influenced the development of European porcelain production.
A similar though slightly more petite (10.375 inches high) Dehua porcelain figure of Samantabhadra hammered 187,500 HKD (equivalent to about $24,093.75 at the time or $33,601.58 now with inflation) at Christie's Hong Kong on June 1st, 2011 as lot 3721 (Live Auction 2862 "Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art).
Provenance: private Tucson, Arizona, USA collection, purchased from a retired Asian Studies professor, Orange County, California, USA in the 1980s
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#189165
- Condition: Chip to frontlet of headdress, but otherwise intact and excellent with nice detail. Two marks in Chinese characters are stamped on the blanked on the verso of the elephant.
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| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $19,999 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $49,999 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $20,000 |